islam – Freethought Nation

Ex-Muslim: ‘Fear of hell and the death penalty for apostasy kept me from leaving Islam’

N. B.
12

(Editor: The following is from a young Pakistani ex-Muslim who wishes to remain anonymous. It is reprinted here with his permission.) I just wanted to reach out and say thank you for the work you are doing. I’m an ex-Muslim atheist, meaning I read the Quran and hadith and left…

What does the Quran say about Jews?

N. B.
0

Here is a long list of passages in the Quran about Jews – they are not loving. There is more Jew-hatred in the hadiths and sunnah. (Not vetted – feel free to point out possible errors in the comments below.) Qur’an 2:61 “Humiliation and wretchedness were stamped on the Jews…

Who is the Mahdi? The Israel-Palestine conflict in religious context

Acharya S
28

For years, there has been much talk about the Muslim Messiah, called the “Mahdi,” whose arrival is eagerly awaited by the ex-Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, among others. Indeed, the Iranian leadership reiterated its belief that the precious Mahdi would be arriving “soon,” a belief very similar to that of many…

Ex-Muslim preacher: ‘I say to Muslims, get away from this evil religion!’

N. B.
17

A person named “Samir” posted the following comments on my article “Dawkins: Islam is ‘one of the great evils in the world’.” I appreciate his courage and insights, and I have edited his remarks for clarity, spelling and grammar. I grew up in the most conservative Muslim family in the…

New Saudi law defines atheism as terrorism against the state

N. B.
9

While many nonbelievers are constantly stumping for Islam, HERE is what devout Muslims feel about them in return. You might want rethink enabling this mentality to spread. We won’t say we told you so, but… Saudi Arabia: New Law Sees Atheism As Terrorism Saudi Arabia has passed a new terrorism…

Blasphemy laws around the world

N. B.
16

Anti-blasphemy legislation still exists in many countries around the world, including those dominated not only by Islam but also by Christianity. You’d be surprised at how many countries have blasphemy laws, even supposedly civilized “Western” nations! Americans, count yourselves lucky to have the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and…

What is sharia law?

Acharya S
34

What is sharia or Islamic law? Sharia is followed by millions of people in Islam-dominant countries. Below are the popular elements of sharia purportedly ordained by Islamic holy writings, including the Quran and sahih hadiths, as asserted by many Muslim authorities over the centuries. Although the law differs from one…

What is the ummah?

Acharya S
3

The word “ummah” is used within Islam to describe the global community of Muslims. This term is derived from the ancient Semitic word um or umm, meaning “MOTHER” and “thus hints at the ideal mother-child relationship.” This fact of the word connoting MOTHERHOOD is betrayed by the abject mistreatment of…

What does the Koran say about nonbelievers?

Acharya S
203

Ah, the peace, love and tolerance! Here are some delightful sentiments that we should encourage spreading around the world! Why, oh why, are there violent religious fanatics attacking nonbelievers all over the globe?? [/sarc] “About sixty-one percent of the contents of the Koran are found to speak ill of the…

Mainstream scholarship: Abraham and Moses mythicism is respectable

Acharya S
6

Note how this Wiki article reports that modern scholars question the historicity of the biblical story of the Israelite patriarch Joseph, using comparative religion/mythology: “Modern day scholars believe the historicity of the events in the Joseph narrative cannot be demonstrated. Hermann Gunkel, Hugo Gressmann and Gerhard von Rad identified the…

Why is Islam so intolerant and violent?

Acharya S
11

How refreshing to read the article by Yasmin Alibhai Brown excerpted below! A Muslim telling the truth about Islamic intolerance, hatred and violence, and commenters also telling the truth about Islam, for a change – will wonders never cease? Blowback? Note that this “intolerance” – infidelophobia – began with the…

Egyptian writer: Islamist rise to power creating many atheists and skeptics

Acharya S
4

Great news here, as calm and cool reason has been winning out over violent and hateful superstition in certain quarters. Thanks to the rabid fanatics who have managed to alienate the better educated and more worldly youth! Such developments provide great hope for the future that we can be rid…

Help free Egyptian atheist activist jailed in Kuwait on blasphemy charges!

Acharya S
30

The least we can do for this poor man is to sign the petition, which I’ve done. If nothing else, the attention is giving him hope. http://www.change.org/petitions/government-of-kuwait-free-humanist-atheist-activist-abdel-aziz-mohamed-albaz Blasphemy laws are the mark of a barbaric culture. No one should be imprisoned for questioning religious doctrine. The West has already been…

Defining the concept of God as energy

Murali Chemuturi
77

Adherents of most religions believe that God is all-pervasive, omniscient and omnipotent. Islam seems to specify that God exists only at one place, and that is in the Kaabah at Mecca. Perhaps that idea is why all Muslims are directed to face the direction of Mecca while praying, wherever they…

American Buddhists celebrate 100 years in Utah

Acharya S
3

Buddhists have been in Utah for a century, yet we haven’t heard a peep about them, no terrorist threats or acts, no mega-temples designed to intimidate everyone, no advocates infiltrating our governments and law agencies, no clamoring to destroy our federal government and replace it with their own religious order.…

Islamic fundamentalists destroy 8,000-year-old rock carvings?

Acharya S
19

UPDATE: It is being reported by Gulf News that the government of Morocco has released a statement asserting that the Muslim radicals did not destroy any rock carvings. In consideration of the fanatics’ past history, one finds it difficult to believe that someone simply made up this story. The jury…

Anti-free speech efforts blaspheme MY religion

Acharya S
50

To the rabid rampagers globally attempting to silence us through their violence and through the imposition of “blasphemy” and “defamation of religion” laws designed to shut up criticism of the very ideology that causes them to rampage violently, your efforts at curbing my free speech are blasphemous against my religion,…

Do the Bible and Koran accurately depict THE God of the cosmos?

Acharya S
19

Take a look at this image – it’s estimated that there are 200-400 billion stars in our Milky Way galaxy alone and that there are billions of other galaxies, at least. Many of these trillions of stars likely possess inhabitable planets. Does anyone intelligent really believe that a “God of…

Muslim clerics call for destruction of Egypt’s Great Pyramid and other antiquities

Acharya S
88

UPDATE (11/11/12): The Arab newspaper al-Arabiya has reported on the call of another jihadi cleric for the destruction of the pyramids, Sphinx and other ancient artifacts. UPDATE: Raymond Ibrahim, the originator of this news item, has answered the fallacious charges that this story is a “hoax” and “fraud”: Because the…

Best and worst countries for women

Acharya S
12

(According to Newsweek magazine, out of 165 countries.) No. 165 is Chad, in Central Africa. Iceland (#1) gets a 100 rating overall, and the U.S. (#8) receives an 89.89, while Chad gets a 0. Israel is #51 on the list, with a 78 rating, not far above Mexico (53) with…

Acharya S
14

The question dared to be asked and answered in a new book by the indefatigable Robert Spencer: Did Muhammad Exist? And he does a great job of answering that question, very scientific, based on serious documentation. He has all the bases covered well, indeed, from what I have seen, which…

Acharya S
1

Pat Condell speaks truth once again. Instead of trying to hush up the bad publicity, if Muslims are so concerned about Islam’s reputation, how about stopping these criminals from committing crimes? Sound good? Then there will be nothing to report. M’kay? Not going to happen soon, I gather. Therefore, we…

Nigerian Freethinkers Association

Acharya S
11

Here’s a group of Nigerians who contacted me about bringing attention to their issue. As you may know, Nigeria is under siege by violent religious extremists who are slaughtering the people by the thousands. Please support the efforts of the freethinkers to bring peace to their land. If you know…

Confessions of an ex-Muslim

Farhan Qureshi
27

(Editor’s note: We are delighted to welcome the newest Freethought Nation guestwriter, Farhan Qureshi, a brave and thoughtful young man who likes to debate and who has an important voice and experience to be shared in the public arena and supported by all freethinkers.) Confessions of an ex-Muslim by Farhan…

Muslim authority plans megamosque on Jerusalem’s Temple Mount

Acharya S
9

“The mosques are our barracks, the domes our helmets, the minarets our bayonets and the faithful our soldiers…” -Turkish Prime Minister Recep Erdogan Oy gevalt! When I read the article below about the planned megamosque on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, I buried my head in my hands and said,…

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